ISLANDERS who get wound up about one of St Helier’s most controversial landmarks are in for a bit of a shock – the Steam Clock has gone electric.

The clock’s steam-driven mechanism has been replaced with an electric one to save the Island around £16,000 a year.

Between 1998 and 2004 the clock cost taxpayers £20,000 a year, but that figure is now expected to plummet to £4,000.

From the outside, the clock will not look very different and steam will still be blown out at certain times of day.

Senator Frank Walker, president of the Policy and Resources Committee, revealed this week that the new mechanism cost £2,717.

He said that in addition to the maintenance and running costs of the clock, looking after the surrounding park drained £7,750 a year from the coffers of the States-owned Waterfront Enterprise Board, which is responsible for the area.

Between 1998 and 2004 a total of £17,354 was spent on landscaping and planter repairs in the park around the clock and, from 2000 onwards, a Christmas tree and other festive decorations.

Senator Walker announced the figures on Tuesday in response to a written question in the States from the Deputy of St John, Phil Rondel.

‘As might be expected,’ Senator Walker said, ‘the maintenance of a steam engine, which was fabricated based upon historically authentic components, is a fairly specialised and labour-intensive affair.

The average annual cost of maintaining the clock from 1998 to the end of 2004 were £14,000 per annum.

The running costs in the same period averaged £6,000 a year.’ Senator Walker said that the savings were being made after WEB had identified the site as an area in which money could be saved.

The company’s financial review coincided with the firm which maintained the clock going out of business.

The Steam Clock was commissioned in 1997 to complement the Maritime Museum.